A defeat Grabb(an)Ed from the jaws of a desperate draw.
We started brightly and they looked nothing like the side that beat the Gooners last week. We almost got off to a flyer. A decent ball down the middle found hot shot Tom who was upended in his forward movement. The ref was about to blow but played on and a fierce shot from Molly was pushed wide at the near post by their keeper. We kept pressing and it looked as if they would wilt. Danny was lively down the right, Murray and Molly did the same down the left and Ojo was looking a real threat in that ten role. He glided past players in the middle and set up some good opportunities down the left. They had to be on their toes to keep out a long cross from Molly on the left to Danny on the far post but it was smothered by their keeper. They really struggled to get into the game and we pressed hard and pushed forward with threat. The first turning point came on 25 when a good through ball found Tom. He cut inside from the left to the right but slipped in the box and fell awkwardly and tweaked his left knee. He cold not continue and Bennett replaced him. He does add some aggression to our forward movement but did not have the same partnership with Benik. Ten minutes later came the next turning point. Ojo got clattered in a tackle and, despite treatment, just lost his edge and was a bit of a passenger for the next ten. This coincided with them getting back in the game and some neat passing pushed them up the field. The ball flashed across our box and Bart did well to keep out their effort. We were happier to hear the half time whistle than they were.
Ojo was clearly not up for returning in the second half and it was obvious that Ben was coming on as he no part in the half time kickabout. He started the second half and had some forceful runs into their half. They had other ideas. They pushed a pressed and had us on the back foot for long periods. It seemed like just a matter of time. The ball flashed across our box a couple of times, Bart made some last ditch saves, we had some last minute blocks and they had an overhead kick that just cleared our bar. We just could not keep the ball. Benik was a big offender followed by Ben who though he could outmuscle three of them in the middle rather than laying off the simple pass. As we approached injury time we came into it more. Their keeper made two blinding saves and Benik missed a great chance to put us ahead at the death. Earlier Hutch was crocked but played on but only looked 80%. Then we pushed the self destruct button. We gave the ball away cheaply in their half, they sprinted down the right, pushed it inside and a low cross was turned home by the bearded one who was designed to score. They went nuts and their celebrations were way over the top. It was very disappointing.
Bart made one decent save in the first half and several decent saves to keep us in it in the second half. Danny played well, was solid in defence and threatening in attack and probably shaded MOM. Hutch was solid, Cooper was a good partner and Murray was his usual dependable self. Billy ran his nuts off in the middle, Evans was OK in parts, Molly looked full of energy and Ojo looked very good in parts. Benik flattered to deceive and did not make the best of his opportunities. Tom looked sharp until his injury. Bennett was aggressive and tried hard to push us forward. Ben tried but tried too hard and had little impact late on.
All in all it was very disappointing. We were hanging on but just couldn’t see out the last couple of minutes and fell to defeat.
We started brightly and they looked nothing like the side that beat the Gooners last week. We almost got off to a flyer. A decent ball down the middle found hot shot Tom who was upended in his forward movement. The ref was about to blow but played on and a fierce shot from Molly was pushed wide at the near post by their keeper. We kept pressing and it looked as if they would wilt. Danny was lively down the right, Murray and Molly did the same down the left and Ojo was looking a real threat in that ten role. He glided past players in the middle and set up some good opportunities down the left. They had to be on their toes to keep out a long cross from Molly on the left to Danny on the far post but it was smothered by their keeper. They really struggled to get into the game and we pressed hard and pushed forward with threat. The first turning point came on 25 when a good through ball found Tom. He cut inside from the left to the right but slipped in the box and fell awkwardly and tweaked his left knee. He cold not continue and Bennett replaced him. He does add some aggression to our forward movement but did not have the same partnership with Benik. Ten minutes later came the next turning point. Ojo got clattered in a tackle and, despite treatment, just lost his edge and was a bit of a passenger for the next ten. This coincided with them getting back in the game and some neat passing pushed them up the field. The ball flashed across our box and Bart did well to keep out their effort. We were happier to hear the half time whistle than they were.
Ojo was clearly not up for returning in the second half and it was obvious that Ben was coming on as he no part in the half time kickabout. He started the second half and had some forceful runs into their half. They had other ideas. They pushed a pressed and had us on the back foot for long periods. It seemed like just a matter of time. The ball flashed across our box a couple of times, Bart made some last ditch saves, we had some last minute blocks and they had an overhead kick that just cleared our bar. We just could not keep the ball. Benik was a big offender followed by Ben who though he could outmuscle three of them in the middle rather than laying off the simple pass. As we approached injury time we came into it more. Their keeper made two blinding saves and Benik missed a great chance to put us ahead at the death. Earlier Hutch was crocked but played on but only looked 80%. Then we pushed the self destruct button. We gave the ball away cheaply in their half, they sprinted down the right, pushed it inside and a low cross was turned home by the bearded one who was designed to score. They went nuts and their celebrations were way over the top. It was very disappointing.
Bart made one decent save in the first half and several decent saves to keep us in it in the second half. Danny played well, was solid in defence and threatening in attack and probably shaded MOM. Hutch was solid, Cooper was a good partner and Murray was his usual dependable self. Billy ran his nuts off in the middle, Evans was OK in parts, Molly looked full of energy and Ojo looked very good in parts. Benik flattered to deceive and did not make the best of his opportunities. Tom looked sharp until his injury. Bennett was aggressive and tried hard to push us forward. Ben tried but tried too hard and had little impact late on.
All in all it was very disappointing. We were hanging on but just couldn’t see out the last couple of minutes and fell to defeat.